JP2001243846A - Switch actuating mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch actuating mechanism that enables a toggle lever to move in a complex moving pattern with a minimum number of constituents required. SOLUTION: A switch actuating mechanism comprises the toggle lever with a base bearing part (14) to be moved sideways in all directions and a shank (16) fixed to the bearing part (14). The toggle lever is so designed as to be pushed from the central rest position to an arbitrary direction. The shank is securely pressed to the rest position by means of a resilient force provided by a disk spring (28) supported by the base bearing part (14) in the shaft line direction. The periphery (34) of the disk spring contacts with an inner side contact surface region (36) of the base enclosing the bearing part (14).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a bearing portion which is guided on all sides to pivot on a base and a toggle lever which includes a shank fixed to the bearing portion. Switch operating mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In such a switch operating mechanism used in a switch such as a mirror setting switch of a vehicle or a joystick control device for a game console, a toggle lever can be pivoted in an arbitrary direction from a central rest position. , Is pressed (or biased) to the rest position by a spring force.

Depending on the function required of the switch, the switch actuation mechanism needs to have a corresponding degree of freedom of movement associated with various return forces and latch positions. Complex movement patterns can be obtained with corresponding arrays of adapted components.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch actuation mechanism which enables a complicated movement pattern for the toggle lever with a minimum of required components.

[0005]

According to the invention, the switch actuating mechanism is provided with a spring disk (i.e., a disk-shaped spring) axially supported by a bearing portion of a toggle lever. The outer periphery of the spring disk is in contact with the inner contact surface area of the base, the inner contact surface surrounding the bearing part. This spring disk alone can provide a return force for returning the toggle lever from its active position to its central rest position. In a preferred embodiment,
The spring disk is dish-shaped and its concave side
Face the contact surface area of the base. This shape (or shape) of the spring disk allows for degression.
ve) provide actuation-return force with properties.

Further, in embodiments where the toggle lever is rotatable (or rotatable) about a longitudinal centerline, the spring disk provides the force required to return the toggle lever to its rest position. A toggle lever can be provided, in this embodiment, coupled to the spring disc for co-rotation (or co-rotation). The contact surface areas on the inside of the spring disk and the base are designed to cooperate with each other, and more particularly, the spring force can generate a component (or a component of the force) of a circumferentially acting force. So that one has an inclined surface that slides over the other. To provide a latch position, the spring disk and the contact surface area are additionally or alternatively configured to cooperate with one another in determining the latch position of some of the toggle levers.

[0007] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which refers to the accompanying drawings.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a switch actuation mechanism. The switch actuation mechanism is arranged on a base or housing, only the wall part 10 of which is shown in FIG. A dome-shaped bearing mount 12 is formed on the wall portion 10. The bearing mount 12 accommodates a corresponding dome-shaped bearing portion 14 of the toggle lever. It is clear from FIG. 1 that the toggle lever includes, in addition to the bearing part 14, a shank 16 connected to this bearing part. The bearing part 14 has a cylindrical part 18 adjacent to the dome-shaped part, on the opposite side of the cylindrical part from the shank 16 a flange 20 in the form of a circular disc projects radially. The central opening 22 of the flange 20 is continuous inside the bearing part 14, in which a concave rounded support surface area 24 is formed. Bearing pins 26 supported by the base of the actuation mechanism extend through the central opening 22;
The top free end is in contact with the concave rounded support surface area 24.

A circular disk-shaped spring disk 28 is mounted on the cylindrical portion 18 of the bearing portion 12. This spring disk is axially supported by an annular flange 20. The concave side of the disk spring 28 faces the inside of the wall portion 10. The spring disk 28 has a central hole 30. The shape of this central hole corresponds to the outer circumference of the cylindrical part 18 of the bearing part 14.
The bearing part 14 is formed by two notches 32 provided on the diametrically opposite side of the opening 30 as a central hole,
A fin provided on the bearing portion 14 is engaged with the notch 32 so as to be non-rotatably connected to the spring disk 28.

The outer periphery of the spring disk 28 is in contact with the inner annular contact surface area 36 of the wall part 10. In the embodiment shown, this annular contact surface area 36 is
It is a depression. Referring now to FIG. 2, a number of embossed cams 38 (i.e., contact cams 38) are shown in FIG.
4 shows a spring disk 28 provided. In this embodiment, for example, four emboss cams or contact cams 38 are provided, and four contact cams 38 are provided.
Are separated from each other at an angle of 90 °. Cam 38
The number and arrangement of the switches depend on the function of the switch to be activated. These cams 38 define the latch position.
It is designed to cooperate with a corresponding contact surface area 36. These latch positions are embodied in rotation of the toggle lever 16 about a longitudinal centerline.

The toggle lever formed by the bearing portion 14 and the shank 16 is pivotable in all directions from its rest position shown in FIG. 1 while being rotatable about its center line. The spring disc 28 provides a return force to the toggle lever that can return the toggle lever to the rest position shown in FIG. 1 in each flexed position. Since the spring disk 28 has a dish shape, the actuation force and the return force have a gradually decreasing characteristic. The spring disk 28 further comprises
The return force required to bias the toggle lever toward its central rest position can be provided. For this purpose, the cam 38 moves on the inclined surface area of the contact surface area 36. Axial pressure acting on these inclined surface regions produces a circumferentially oriented force component.

The switch actuating mechanism described above satisfies all the complex switching functions and switch position requirements with a small number of components. Since the configuration of the switch operation mechanism is simple, it can be reasonably mass-produced. The switching sensitivity of the switch actuation mechanism (switching sensitivity) can be largely determined by the finishing of the spring disc 28, of which the salient parameters are the choice of material, material thickness, dome radius, and disc and hole diameter. .

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown the feature of the curved portion of the spring disk 28 contacting the base on its convex side. Alternatively or additionally, the perimeter of the flange 20 may rest on a spring disk 29 which rests on the bottom of the base and surrounds the bearing pin 26, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG.

Referring now to FIG. 6, which illustrates features of the spring disk 28a other than circular. In order to prevent rotation, two cams 33 are formed in the opening 30 instead of the notch 32 shown in FIG. Further, the spring disk 28a is provided with four contact and support lugs (contact and support protrusions) 39 that are 90 ° apart from each other.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a switch operating mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a spring disk of the operating mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a spring disk.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a spring disk.

FIG. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a switch operation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 (a) is a plan view of a spring disk according to yet another embodiment. FIG. 6 (b) is a side view of the spring disk shown in FIG. 6 (a).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wall part 12 Domed bearing mount 14 Domed bearing part 16 Shank 18 Cylindrical part 20 Annular flange 22 Central opening 24 Support surface area 26 Bearing pin 28 Spring disk 30 Central hole 32 Notch 34 Outer circumference 36 Inner annular contact surface area 38 Embossed cam

Continuation of front page (71) Applicant 597013146 Industriestr. 2-8, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany (72) Inventor Rals Kukai 26524 Itzehe, Oldendorfer Wech 9 Germany

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A switch actuating mechanism comprising a toggle lever having a bearing part (14) and a shank (16), said bearing part (14) being pivotable to all sides at a base. Being guided, said shank (16) being fixed to said bearing part (14), said toggle lever being pivotable in any direction starting from a central rest position; said shank (16) Are pressed into said rest position by spring force, said spring force being provided by a spring disk (28), said spring disk (28) being axially supported by said bearing part (14). And has an outer periphery (34) in contact with an inner contact surface area (36) of the base, wherein the inner contact surface area (36) comprises the bearing portion (14).
A switch actuating mechanism. 2. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring disc (28) has a concave side facing the contact surface area (36) of the base and the outer periphery (34) has a periphery. A switch actuating mechanism having a dish-like shape supported on said contact surface area (36) of said base. 3. The switch actuation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring disc (28) has a convex side facing the contact surface area (36) of the base and the outer periphery (34). Has a dish shape supported by the toggle lever. 4. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the toggle lever is rotatable about a longitudinal center line, and the spring disc is rotatable cooperatively. A switch operation mechanism connected to (28). 5. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the spring disc (28) and the contact surface area (36).
Is a switch actuating mechanism configured to cooperate with each other in defining at least two rest positions of said toggle lever. 6. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the spring disc (28) and the contact surface area (36).
Has an inclined surface, one of which slides on the other, said inclined surface cooperating with the spring force of said spring disc (28) to push back said toggle lever towards said central rest position. Generating a switch actuation mechanism. 7. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the bearing part (14) comprises a bearing surface area in the form of a spherical segment and is remote from the bearing surface area. On its side facing away, has a concave bearing surface area (24), which engages a bearing pin (26) having a parietal end,
Switch actuation mechanism. 8. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a radially projecting flange (20) for supporting the spring disc (28) is provided on the bearing part (14). The switch actuating mechanism is arranged in the circumferential direction of ()). 9. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring disc (28) is generally circular and the spring disc (28) has a bearing part. A switch actuation mechanism provided with a central opening (22) for attachment to (14). 10. The switch actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring disc (28) has a radially projecting lug (39) having both support and contact functions. ),
Switch actuation mechanism.